KR20000051458A - Automatic channel selecting device and method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: An auto channel selector and a method therefor are provided to automatically select a channel according to information with regard to channels preferred by a user in each time slot. CONSTITUTION: An auto channel selector comprises: a clock (204) outputting information of a current time; a recognition section (206) recognizing information with regard to channels preferred by a user in each time slot by checking frequencies of channels selected in a current time at a specific time-cycle interval; a memory (220) storing information about the preferred channel in each time slot; a control section (202) reading the preferred channel in the time slot from the memory in response to an order to automatically select a channel and outputting the order signal to select the preferred channel.

Description

Automatic channel selecting device and method

The present invention relates to a tuning device, and more particularly, to an automatic tuning device for automatically tuning a preferred channel for each time zone. The present invention also relates to an automatic tuning method implemented in the apparatus.

In general, devices that receive broadcast signals of various channels, such as radio, television, and cable TV, include a tuning device to tune a desired channel. Most modern tuning devices have a memory. The user stores a plurality of channel information in this memory. For example, a channel having an A1 tuning frequency can be stored as channel 1 and a channel having an A2 tuning frequency can be stored as a channel 2 in memory. Thereafter, the user selects channel 1 or channel 2 to tune to a channel having a desired tuning frequency.

1 shows a radio including a conventional tuning device. Referring to FIG. 1, the conventional tuning apparatus includes a microcomputer and a memory. If the user manually selects a channel, the selection command is decrypted by the microcomputer. The microcomputer reads the channel information stored in the memory and outputs the channel information to the tuning means. The tuning circuit section tunes the channel according to the channel information received through the tuning means. As a result, the tuned channel is detected through the wireless signal processing unit so that the voice transmitted through the selected channel is output from the speaker.

On the other hand, the user generally has a channel to enjoy or listen at a certain time. However, the conventional tuning device is inconvenient that even if there is a channel to be enjoyed or listened to at a certain time, the user should tune to the channel directly at that time.

The technical problem to be achieved by the present invention is to provide an automatic channel selection device that can automatically tune the channel according to the information on the preferred channel for each time zone.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an automatic tuning method implemented in the apparatus.

1 is a block diagram showing a radio including a conventional tuning device.

2 is a block diagram illustrating a radio including an automatic tuning apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

3 is a flowchart illustrating an automatic channel selection step in an automatic channel selection method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

4 is a flowchart illustrating a manual channel selection step in the automatic channel selection method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

5 is a flowchart illustrating an example of combining an automatic tuning step and a manual tuning step as an automatic tuning method according to another embodiment of the present invention.

<Explanation of symbols for the main parts of the drawings>

20 ... automatic tuning device, 200 ... microcomputer,

202 International Fisherman, 204 Clark,

206 channel frequency identification unit, 220 memory,

230, Tuning means, 240 ... Antenna,

250 tuning circuit section, 260 wireless signal processing section,

270 ... speakers.

In order to achieve the above object, the automatic tuning device according to the present invention includes a tuning device and a tuning circuit section for tuning a channel, the clock outputting information of a current time, and a channel selected at a current time at predetermined time periods. A channel frequency identification unit for identifying information on a channel preferred by a time zone by checking a frequency of the memory; a memory storing information on the preferred channel according to a time zone; And a pre-international fisherman for reading information on a preferred channel for each time zone and outputting a tuning command signal for selecting the preferred channel.

Preferably, the channel frequency identification unit includes a current time classifier and a channel counter that counts the frequency of the selected channel. In addition, the channel frequency identification unit preferably checks the frequency of the selected channel even if the channel is changed.

In addition, the tuner may output a tuner command signal in response to a manual channel selection command to select an arbitrary channel, and the channel frequency identification unit may refer to the tuner command signal and current time information for a user's preferred channel for each time zone. It is desirable to use it to generate information.

In order to achieve the above object, the automatic tuning method according to an aspect of the present invention includes determining whether to automatically select a channel or manually selecting a channel, and an automatic channel selection step of tuning a channel most frequently selected at the present time. And a manual channel selection step of storing the current time and information on the selected channel at that time and manually tuning the channel.

The automatic channel selection step includes reading the current time, and reading the channel information that has been selected most frequently.

In addition, the automatic channel selection step includes the step of reading the most frequently selected channel information, and then determining whether the channel most frequently selected is the preferred channel, and in the determining step, If it is determined that the channel is a channel that is not preferred by the user, the method may further include selecting an existing channel, and otherwise, tuning the channel most frequently selected.

The manual channel selection step includes reading the current time, reading the currently selected channel information, counting the frequency of the currently selected channel, and checking whether the predetermined time has elapsed. It is preferable to include the step of returning back to.

According to another aspect of the present invention, an automatic tuning method according to another aspect of the present invention includes starting a timer and checking whether a predetermined time has elapsed or a predetermined time has elapsed, and a predetermined time has elapsed or has been predetermined in the timer checking step. If it is determined that the automatic station selection is selected, if the condition is not satisfied in the timer check step, executing the normal routine, and if it is determined that the automatic station selection is selected in the automatic station selection check step, the current time is determined. Reading, reading the most frequently selected channel information, determining whether the selected channel is the preferred channel, and if the preferred channel is selected, tuning the selected channel and otherwise selecting an existing channel; In the automatic tuning selection check step, select automatic tuning. If it is determined that there are chosen, it characterized in that it comprises the step of performing the step comprising the steps of reading the current channel information, reading the current time and then returns to the step and the timer check step of increasing the channel counter.

Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of the keypad character forming method of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

2 illustrates a radio including an automatic tuning apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 2, the automatic channel selection device 20 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a pre-international language unit 202, a clock 204, a channel frequency identification unit 206, and a memory 220. In addition, the automatic tuning device 20 includes a tuning means 230 and a tuning circuit section 250.

The operation of the automatic channel selection device 20 will be described. The clock 204 outputs information of the current time. The channel frequency identification unit 206 checks the frequency of the channel selected at the current time at predetermined time intervals to identify information about the channel preferred by the user in each time zone. The memory 220 stores information on the preferred channel for each time slot. The information is for example,

Time division Channel 1 Channel 2 Channel 3 Channel 4 Channel 5 08:00 3 14 5 One 0 10:00 One 3 7 11 One 14:00 15 0 0 3 One 20:00 0 0 0 0 20

It will take the form That is, the channel frequency identification unit preferably includes a current time classifier (not shown) and a channel counter (not shown) for counting the frequency of the selected channel. Next, when the user selects the automatic channel selection function by, for example, pressing an automatic channel selection button, which may be commercially represented as an “artificial intelligence tuning button,” the international fisherman 202 may prefer the time zone from the memory. Read channel information. A tuning command signal for tuning the preferred channel is output to the tuning means 230. Meanwhile, the media propagation received through the antenna 24 is detected by the tuning circuit unit 250. At this time, the tuning circuit 250 detects the channel selected by the tuning means 230. Therefore, the detected voice signal is output to the speaker 270 via the wireless signal processor 26. As described above, when the user sets the automatic channel selection function, the automatic channel selection apparatus according to the present invention can automatically tune the channel preferred by the user at the current time with reference to information on the preferred channel for each time zone. .

In the present embodiment, the radio is described as an example for the purpose of explanation, but as understood by those skilled in the art, it can be applied as a tuning device in all devices having a plurality of channels such as television, cable TV, etc. and the user selects a desired channel among these channels. have.

Next, a method that can be implemented in the automatic channel selection device of the present invention as described above will be described. In the method that can be implemented in the automatic channel selection device of the present invention as described above, it is preferable to first perform a step of determining whether to select a channel automatically or manually. Next, if it is determined by automatic channel selection, the automatic channel selection step of tuning the channel most frequently selected at the present time is executed. If it is determined by manual channel selection, information on the current time and the selected channel at that time is stored. And performing a manual channel selection step of manually tuning channels. 3 shows an automatic channel selection step in the automatic channel selection method according to an embodiment of the present invention. 3, in the automatic channel selection method according to the embodiment of the present invention, the automatic channel selection step first reads the current time (step 300). Next, the most frequently selected channel information is read (step 302). Next, the user determines whether the most frequently selected channel is the preferred channel (step 304). If the determination step 304 determines that the channel is a channel that the user does not like (step 308). In this case, the existing channel is preferably a channel selected before turning off the power as in a general case. On the other hand, if the channel is not a channel that the user does not prefer, the most frequently selected channel is tuned (step 306). Thus, when the automatic channel selection function is set, the user automatically selects the channel most frequently selected at the corresponding time, and the user may make the final decision because the selected channel may not be preferred at the time.

Figure 4 shows a manual channel selection step in the automatic channel selection method according to an embodiment of the present invention. 4, the manual channel selection step first reads the current time (step 400). Next, the currently selected channel information is read (step 402). Next, in step 400 of reading the current time, the frequency of the currently selected channel for each current time read is counted (step 404). Therefore, the preferred channel information for each time for the automatic channel selection can be generated. However, there remains a question of how much time interval the preferred channel is examined. In the embodiment of the present invention, as shown in the figure, a separate timer (not shown) is provided, thereby checking whether a predetermined time has elapsed and allowing the user to return to the preferred channel investigation steps (step 406). Further, even if a predetermined time has not elapsed, if the user changes the channel, the process returns to the preferred channel investigation steps (step 408).

The automatic tuning step and the manual tuning step as described above are generally interconnected. 5 shows an example of a combination of an automatic tuning step and a manual tuning step as an automatic tuning method according to another embodiment of the present invention. 5, in the automatic tuning method according to the present invention, variable initialization is first performed (step 500). In this step, memory reset, CPU initialization, and the like are known to those skilled in the art. Next, a timer is set (step 502). This is to operate a timer necessary for the purpose of determining the irradiation time interval of the preferred channel as described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4. The timer then starts and checks if a predetermined time has elapsed (step 520). If a predetermined time has elapsed or a predetermined time has been reached in step 520, it is checked whether automatic tuning is selected (step 550). Otherwise, a normal routine is executed (step 540). If auto-tuning is selected, the current time is read (step 562), the most frequently selected channel information is read (step 564), and the selected channel is determined to be the preferred channel (step 566). Tune (step 569) otherwise select an existing channel (step 568). On the other hand, if automatic tuning is not selected, the current time is read (step 572), and the current channel information is read (step 574). The channel counter is then incremented (step 580) to prepare information on which channel was selected at that time. Next, the process returns to step 520 to check the clock timer.

In this way, it is possible to associate the automatic tuning step with the manual tuning step. However, since the switching between the automatic station and the manual station can be linked in various ways and can be appropriately modified or modified by those skilled in the art, the embodiments disclosed herein are intended to limit the scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims. Do not limit.

As described above, the automatic tuning apparatus according to the present invention can automatically tune into the channel that the user has selected most frequently at the corresponding time.

Claims (9)

An apparatus comprising a tuning means and a tuning circuit section for tuning a channel, A clock for outputting information of the current time; A channel frequency identification unit for identifying information on a channel preferred by a user by time by checking a frequency of a channel selected at a current time at predetermined time intervals; A memory for storing information on the preferred channel for each time zone; And And a pre-international language unit configured to read information on the preferred channel for each time slot from the memory in response to the automatic channel selection command, and output a tuning command signal for tuning the preferred channel. 2. The automatic channel selection device according to claim 1, wherein the channel frequency identification section includes a channel counter for counting the frequency of the current time classifier and the selected channel. The automatic channel selection device according to claim 1, wherein the channel frequency identification unit checks the frequency of the selected channel even when the channel is changed. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the pre-international language unit outputs a preset command signal in response to a manual channel selection command for selecting an arbitrary channel, and the channel frequency identification unit selects a user's preference for each time zone by referring to the preset command signal and current time information. Automatic channel selection device, characterized in that used to generate information about the channel. In the method of tuning a channel, Determining whether to select a channel automatically or manually; An automatic channel selection step of tuning the channel most frequently selected at the present time; And And a manual channel selection step of storing the current time and information on the selected channel at that time and manually tuning the channel. The method of claim 5, wherein the automatic channel selection step, Reading the current time; And And retrieving channel information which has been selected most frequently. The method of claim 6, wherein the automatic channel selection step, Performing the step of reading the most frequently selected channel information, and then allowing a user to determine whether the most frequently selected channel is a preferred channel; Selecting an existing channel if it is determined that the channel is a channel that the user does not like in the determining step; And Otherwise, tuning the most frequently selected channel. The method of claim 5, wherein the manual channel selection step, Reading the current time; Reading the currently selected channel information; Counting the frequency of the currently selected channel; And Checking whether a predetermined time has elapsed and returning back to the above steps. In the method of tuning a channel, Starting a timer and checking whether a predetermined time has elapsed or a predetermined time has come; Checking whether automatic station selection is selected when a predetermined time has elapsed or a predetermined time is reached in the timer checking step; Executing a normal routine when the condition is not satisfied in the timer checking step; If it is determined that the automatic station selection is selected in the automatic station selection check step, Reading a current time; Reading the most frequently selected channel information; Determining whether the selected channel is a preferred channel; And Tuning the selected channel if it is a preferred channel and otherwise selecting an existing channel; If it is determined in the automatic station selection check step that automatic station selection is not selected, Reading a current time; And Reading the current channel information; Incrementing a channel counter; And And returning to the timer check step.